Nintendo 3DS: Out by March 2011

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E3 was brilliant this year. Not only did Microsoft finally get official with the Kinect and Sony announce a tie-up with Steam, Nintendo also unveiled the Nintendo 3DS. Except it didn't. Not really. For Nintendo's US boss Reggie Fils-Aime has told Industry Gamers that the version that was on show is not the final product.

It seems that E3 attendees were part of an unofficial focus group for Nintendo, where it wanted to gauge reactions to its 3D handheld.

"You know typically, at an E3, our engineers are looking for feedback", said Fils-Aime. "You know, we have an army of Nintendo representatives out on our show floor talking to attendees, getting reactions to everything in the device: the depth slider, the buttons, the sliding pad that is, essentially, an analogue-type stick.

"These are things that we’re looking to get reaction to, including the overall button placement. When we get all that feedback, then we’ll finalise the design".

We have to say that Nintendo must have been pretty pleased with the feedback - the event and subsequent coverage has been buzzing with all things 3DS.

When pushed for release details for the finished product Fils-Aime stated that it will be hitting the shops in all major markets by 31 March 2011.

Who knows, by then Nintendo may have added a fourth dimension to the console. Smellovision gaming anyone?